1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a method and apparatus to set print options of an image forming apparatus using a driver user interface in a terminal such as a PC connected to the image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus to set print options which automatically generates setting names by including names and values of print options input by a user and stores the generated setting names together with the set print options.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, image forming apparatuses receive document data generated by a user using an application program installed in a PC and then output on, for example, print paper, so that the user can read the data. Various print options that are related to the function of the image forming apparatuses, such as paper size and printing resolution, can be set using a driver installed in the PC.
Print options that can be set in the driver are becoming more and more diversified due to recent developments in driver-related technologies. Accordingly, the user sets various print options and then creates and stores a certain setting name for the print options selected by the user (if needed). When the previously set print options are needed subsequently, print options can be retrieved by selecting the stored setting name without having to input again the previously set print options.
FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional driver user interface window to store a certain setting name after setting print options. The driver user interface window includes layout, paper, graphics, and extras tabs as print option categories. The user inputs print option values for the each of the print option values displayed in the user interface window after selecting one of the print option categories using, for example, a mouse. After all print options are input by the user, the user inputs a setting name of the input print options in a favorites region 100 and presses an apply (A) button. Then, the input print options are stored to correspond to the input setting name. Thereafter, the user can select a desired setting name among several stored setting names by searching the setting names listed in the favorites region 100. The user can then recall the stored print options of the selected setting name, and apply the print options to the printing.
When setting print options using the above-described conventional method, the user must manually input setting names that are to be stored whenever setting print options. In addition, the setting names often do not reveal the print options contained within unless they are named appropriately, that is, unless the user manually inputs a setting name that corresponds to the input print options.